Cost to Register a Car After Moving to Montana
Moving to Montanameans re-titling and re-registering your vehicle as a new resident. Here's what that actually costs, computed from the state's current fee schedule.
One-time costs when you arrive
- Title fee$12.00
- One-time total$12.00
Your ongoing annual cost
For a typical three-year-old gas vehicle, expect about $217.00 per year — driving an EV changes that to $347.00. Montana registration is purely age-based: $217 per year for vehicles 0–4 years old, $87 for 5–10, and $28 at 11+ — when permanent registration (one-time, ~$87.50 plus county option tax) becomes available and most owners take it. Luxury vehicles with MSRP over $150,000 add an $825 annual surcharge. EVs pay $130 and plug-in hybrids $70. No sales tax — hence all the exotic cars with Montana plates.
Before you budget
- County option tax (a percentage of depreciated MSRP, set per county) is not itemized here.
- Motorcycles register permanently (one-time ~$79 with safety fees).
Estimate your exact Montana cost
Your vehicle
- Registration fee (age-based)$217.00
- Title fee$12.00
Estimate only — actual fees are set by your state and county at the time of registration. Data last reviewed 2026-07-16.
All figures computed from official fee schedules — sources: https://www.yellowstonecountymt.gov/Treasurer/MotorV/schedules.asp — last reviewed 2026-07-16.